CFTC to Host Cryptocurrency CEO Forum to Discuss Digital Asset Market Pilot Program

**March 24 (Cointelegraph) —** After former President Trump temporarily de-escalated tensions with Iran and sought negotiations, Bitcoin briefly jumped 4%. WTI crude later dropped 14% to $85 a barrel, while the S&P 500 gained 3%. Yet Bitcoin derivative data still sends skeptical signals: the market lacks confidence in the $68k support level. **Futures:** Bitcoin’s 2-month futures annualized premium stood at 2% on Monday—below the 4-8% range typical for longer-dated contracts in neutral conditions. This signals weak demand for long leverage, and the lack of conviction has lingered for a month (even as BTC briefly rebounded to nearly $76k). **Options:** Deribit’s April 24-expiring $80k call option was priced at 0.017 BTC (≈$1,207) with 31 days until expiry and 48% implied volatility (IV). The market pegs the probability of BTC hitting $80k in that window at just 20%—a low bar for a 13% monthly gain, rare in crypto’s typically bullish market. **Macro Context:** The Fed’s pause

On March 24, per LookOnChain monitoring, Blockchain Capital re-delegated 6,400 ETH (roughly $13.82 million) 3 hours ago—its first such move in 2 years.

On March 24, Bloomberg reported that Hostplus—a top Australian pension fund overseeing more than A$150 billion in assets—is weighing offering its members a cryptocurrency investment option. The fund plans to make Bitcoin and other digital assets available through its Choiceplus platform, which lets members autonomously manage their retirement savings portfolios. Assets in Choiceplus currently account for roughly 1% of the fund’s total holdings. Chief Investment Officer Sam Sicilia noted that some members have expressed demand for crypto assets, and the related products could launch as early as the next fiscal year—provided regulatory approval is secured. The initiative remains in the design stage, with unresolved issues including consumer protection.

**March 24th** Per Coinbob's Popular Address Monitoring (link: https://t.me/Coinbob_track_CN), international oil prices edged lower yesterday following news that former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a five-day pause in military strikes against Iran and a shift to negotiation. "Hyperliquid Early Contributor Loracle" closed a large portion of their **xyz:CL long position** over the past two hours, with closing prices ranging from $89.0 to $90.0 (slightly above the opening price), netting an overall profit of ~$350,000. The address currently holds a remaining xyz:CL long position worth ~$400,000, with a floating profit of ~$10,000. **Remaining Positions Held by the Address:** - HYPE long position: ~$20.8839 million (floating loss: $90,000; liquidation price: $2.15) - PAXG long position: ~$1.63 million (floating loss: ~$330,000)

March 24 — U.S. President Trump said on March 23 that the U.S. and Iran held "very good and fruitful discussions" over the past two days, agreeing to a five-day pause on military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure. Brent crude fell more than 14% following the announcement, before Iranian Parliament Speaker Kalibaf denied engaging in talks with the U.S. ### Market Reaction - **Oil**: Bitget data shows Brent crude now trades at $98.25/bbl (+1.55%), WTI at $91.15/bbl (+1.96%) — a slight rebound after yesterday’s sharp drop. - **Precious Metals**: Spot gold: $4,338.46/oz (-1.55%, 9th straight decline); spot silver: $67.62/oz (-2.16%). ### U.S. Stocks & Crypto - U.S. stocks closed higher Monday: Dow +1.38%, S&P 500 +1.15%, Nasdaq +1.38%. - **Crypto**: HTX data: Bitcoin briefly topped $71,000, now at $70,438.83 (+4.09% 24h); Ethereum at $2,132.11 (+4.33% 24h).

March 24: U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. and Iran held "very good and productive" talks over the past two days, pausing military strikes on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days. Trump noted Iran wants to end the conflict, and both sides are discussing a broader agreement—talks that began last Saturday. "They are serious this time," he said, adding he hopes to "get it done." An Israeli official and two insiders confirmed Iran’s dialogue representative is influential Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Israeli media reported Washington has set April 9 as a target date to end the war, roughly 21 days from now. But Iran denied engaging in "negotiations" with Trump. Ghalibaf called Trump’s statement "fake news," saying military actions are still escalating. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it is launching a new round of attacks on U.S. targets, dismissing Trump’s remarks as "psychological warfare" that is "already ineffect